Chord-playing harmonica



Oct. 13, 1953 L.. A. RUBEN 25655-,058

CHORD-PLAYING HARMONICA Filed Sept. l0, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTO R g/fs A Paben aum-MO ame/x j :lo aoNaaadwnaalo A RNEY nUxILmRY REED PLATE NOTES Oct. 13, 1953 L.. A. RUBEN CHORD-PLAYING HARMONICA Filed Sept. l0, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -/I v Y /5 l E446 i 4/ 40 g "IIIIH a u IIIIIIHIZZJ lill L Hmm.. Hm l in /f [owls Auben BY ATTO NEY Patented Oct. 13, 1953 UNITED STATE-S PATENT OFFICE 2,655,068- enonD-RLAIING aannemen mais anulan, cayenne, J'. Animation sementa- 1o, 1951,: sensitiva-245321:

(c1. iii-'3ro This invention` relatesA to chord-playing4 harmonicas and-.particularly to the type-wherein two harmonicas are employ'e'dto-play thelmelody and ank accompaniment.

Prior attempts to produce harmonicas whichv can be readily manipulatedr by ordinary player not highly skilled, havefbeen unsuccessful primarily because of the complicated mechanismemployed, the division of thepla-yers attention and efforts among variousl keys;` buttons; slides ork the like at the's'ame time;l andthe-di'culty of finding and operating the controls fastl enough for practical' purposes.. evenz after ,long practice.

By providing; the harmomca of the presentv invention with anV indicator." scalev for any desired number of themostfrequently used chords. using: the chord names.y andl n'ot the individual designations of the notes". making up the chord, andoperatively connecting the indicator to` a highly simpliiied andeilicient automatic chord. selector and sounder, the player need not have any exfperience or' training whatever* in playing chordsV to accompanyv the melody, but? need merely manipulate the easily operated indicator to set-itto indicate each*` of thedesi'red chordsin the properV succession whilehe continues to play the melody inv the usual" mannerby blowing anddrawing on the instrument. Setting the indicator` tc the propery single line on-aclearly visible scale by a simple movement",V simultaneously sets ther chord selector into position toplay thefindicated chord.

The common mouthpiece forfbcthhairmon-icasof; the instrument; as well.: asi the' arrangement of the parts', makes it possible to play the melody alone or! chords alone, or both melody andaccompanying chords at the samef time,i each single chord setting ofi the: indicator' sounding all of theA proper notes of the: selected chord: automatically.-

I-f" one of theV harmonica's'- of th`e-instrument were provided with the" full'chromatic sca-lav the umber of dineren-tendrs whichwould become lvail'able to the player' would' be limited' only by the size ofM the single movable? selector member and by the eiciency` of the manipulating mechanism therefor. However-,tor practicalpurposes-.f the complete chromatic: ia'fnot needed noremploy'ed, a' selectedpartici?such'lsealefbeing-usu-fally suicient to' produce afwideirange-otthemost commonly used chords; u

The various-objects of the invention` will-'be clear from'the description whibhifollows and'from ther-drawings,inwhicir l I Y Fig; 1` is a;v frontfelevationalwlew ct ment. ,i

Fig. 2 a" side-2 elevatio'mf. new thereon Figc 3 is a; top plan view thereof, partly broken away to show the fixed auxiliary or chord-playingreed'lplate.

Fig. 4 isa combined side elevational and sectional' view of a slightly modified form of the instrument, whereinv anl operating plunger is' provided to setthe= indicator andthe valve cylinder siiriultaneously.v

Fig. 5 is a' fragmentary vertical sectional view takenl on the line* 5f-5y of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is afperspective view of the valve cylinder.

Fig` 7 is a chart showing the relative arrangement of the` holes in' the valvecylinder and the designated reeds of the chord-playing harmonica.

In the practical' embodiment of the invention shown by way of example, theharmonica Ill 1s of the usual type `being provided with two reed platesx to soundl the notes of the diatonic scale -by blowing and drawing on theusual openings for the` reeds. The harmonica Ill is supported for sliding movement to carry the mouth openings I= I thereofA pastthe'bra-nch I2 of the air-conductingmcu-th-piece IY3- of the instrument, the other branch I4- leading to the valve cylinder I5 and thence to the auxiliary xed harmonical I6. n To support the? harmonicas and the valve cylinder, the end of themouthpiecebranch I2 remote from the player carries a longitudinally extending channel 20:, thej otherwise imperforate bottom Walle ot which has aj hole I1 therein communicating withthe interior of said branch and with that: one of the mouth openings II adjacent thereto as the` har-monica Ill slides n past the branch- A,plate=as I8 is secured to the edge of the harmonica I0 over the mouth openings I I and is provided with aseries of perforations I9" therein spacedlnapar-tthesamedist'ances as the openings I I are spaced, the plate I8V being insertedv into andsliding the channel. 20'. The player blows,` into or draws in through the mouthpiece 1:3' andslidesthe. harmonica. I-Il along. the channel to carry the hole of` the plate which registers withthe'selectedlmouth open-ing II tothe hole Il of the, channeLthereby to-play a melody or tune in about the usual manner-.r vThen channel 2D' ,isl preferably part of thesupporting frame 24 of the instrument. the` fran-iaalsoy supporting the valve cylinder and the xed harmonica IS- in a mannersoontobedescribed;Y

Saidv harmonicav I=6 isv designed especially for the. playing'of an accompanimentin an easy ef.- fective and'l satisfactoryl manner, primarily involving'the' exposure of-` a' plurality' of the mouth openings 23J of theV fixedharmonica'l at any oneY time through the medium of asingle control element adapted for quick operation by a single finger of the player without materially withdrawing the attention of the player from the playing of the melody. The control element being in effect a multiple valve, the playing of a number of different chords is controlled by the element, a diiferent chord being playable for each different position of the element. While for ideal chord playing, reeds or notes giving all the tones of the complete chromatic scale should be provided on the reed plate to permit the playing of a great number of possible chords of various note combinations, for practical purposes however, as has' already been indicated, it is neither necessary Y nor advisable in a harmonica to employ the come plete chromatic scale which is useful principally in instruments of this type forthe playing of` an accompaniment to a melody. The notes most frequently used in the playing of such chords have therefore been selected, suitable reed plates 2| and 2id which are substantially duplicates of each other carrying the reeds'22 of the fixed har# or drawing in the breath. As shown by the chart of Fig. '7, ten tones have been selected as follows:

Cir, D, E, F, Fit, G, A Bb, B and C. Selected combinations of certain of these tones enable the player to sound the following most frequently used chords: C", F, C, G7, D7, A'z and Dm merely by setting an indicator at the corresponding point of a chord-indicating scale marked with the chord symbols mentioned. Setting of the scale indicator simultaneously sets the single control element above mentioned.

The rotary valve cylinder I5 constitutes said control element for all of the various chords, the cylinder being interposed between the branch I4 of the mouthpiece and the fixed chord-playing harmonica. The Valve cylinder is hollow, is closed at yboth of its ends and its removably supported for rotation with a snug t in the longitudinal cylindrical opening of the frame 24 to insure against material leakage therebetween. To maintain the cylinder in position against undesired longitudinal movement in the frame opening, while permitting free rotation thereof when required, the free end edge portion 25 of the strip spring 26 is inserted into the corresponding circumferential groove '21 (Fig. 1) in an end portion of the cylinder I5, the other end 23 of the spring being suitably secured to the frame 24. To free the valve cylinder for removal from its opening in the frame when desired, the yieldable end 25 of the spring is lifted out of the groove 21.

As best seen in Fig. 6, a number of circumferentially spaced apart lines of perforations are made in the side wall of the hollow cylinder I5. Each line of perforations is arranged longitudinally of the cylinder and comprises a number of perforations longitudinally aligned with each other and corresponding in number and positions to the number and positions of the notes of the fixed harmonica required to produce the desired chord, thereby to communicate with the proper mouth openings when the cylinder is rotated into the proper angular setting thereof. Since a considerable number of longitudinal lines as 36 of perforations are made through the wall of the cylinder to communicate with the interior thereof, a corresponding number of chords is provided for.

If desired, one narrow portion of the cylinder extending through the length thereof and wide enough to coverall of the mouth openings 23, may be left completely solid or imperforate for the purpose of blocking olf all of said mouth openings 23 and thereby preventing the sounding of any chord when single notes of the slidable harmonica I0 or the melody only are to be played. That is, by rotating the cylinder until the imperforate portion thereof shown in Fig. '7 and marked Melody is at the mouth holes, the player may if he wishes, blow into or draw from both branches .of the mouthpiece I3 without sounding any of the reeds 22. Similarly, the slidable harmonica may be moved until the extreme imperforate right hand end or the extreme imperforate left hand end of the plate I8 is at the adjacent' opening of the mouthpiece branch I2, thereby to block said branch and preventing the playing of any note of the slidable harmonica. Normally,- however, the holes as 3S, 3l, 32 and 33 in any one line will conduct air to or from four `selected and corresponding reeds 22 to produce a chord. Most of the lines 35 of perforations of thecylinder I5 contain only three holes,

as for example, the C major chord, as best seen' in Fig. 7. When the mouthpiece I3 is blown into, air is blown into the branch I4 and enters the interior of the valve cylinder through those holes 3'4 of the cylinder which are adjacent the discharge end of said branch. A circumferentially spaced series of such holes 34 is made around the cylinder, the holes being quite close together. However, if a solid chord blocking portion is provided on the cylinder, all of the holes, including holes 34 are omitted at said portion. When air is drawn in past the lower plate 2 Ia to sound the lower reeds 22, such air passes only through those chord-selecting holes which register with corresponding mouth holes 23, and passes into the interior of the cylinder, thence through the holes 34 into the branch I4. However, during:

the blowing operation, air blown into the interior of the cylinder through Ythe branch I4 emerges only through those holes as 30-33 adjacent mouth openings 23, the remaining holes being blocked by the solid cylindrical wall part'of the frame 24. As shown in Fig. 5, the holes 34 are also blocked at the middle of the harmonica IB. Air discharged into the mouth openings 23 vibrates the reeds of the upper reed plate 2|, the reeds 22 of which sound the same corresponding notes as those of the lower plate 2id, whereby .the same selected chord is sounded at any setting' of the cylinder,` either on blowing out or drawing in the breath.

The means employed for turning the valve cylinder and for simultaneously setting the chord indicator will now be described. In the form shown in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 6, the right hand end of the valve cylinder is reduced in diameter to provide a polygonal non-slip handle 3l which may be grasped between the ngers of the right hand and directly turned through various angles thereby to carry the selected line 36 of chord holes in the cylinder into .the operative positions thereof, wherein .the respective holes register with corresponding mouth holes 23'. The other or left hand end of the cylinder carries the pinion 38 (Fig. 2)

thereof can be easily and clearly seen by the player when the instrument is Vheld to the mouth,

is the channel shaped? g-uidewayz 431er the slidable indicatngfscale 4,4'. At lower end thereof, the scale is providedv with a hole 45, into which is inserted one end' of the crank arm 46,

the other end of which is xed to the shaft. 4l. The scale is preferably made o f transparent. flexible sheet or strip material such as synthetic plastic and at its remote end' carries a marker shown in the form ofa transverse indicatingline 41. The remoteA endY 48 of4 the. guideway is markedwith spaced apartgraduations `49 and indications giving the chord namesy or symbols` as C", F, C and the like correspondingv to each graduation. For the imperforate part of the valve cylinder blocking the chord player, the indication Melody may be used.

The position of the marker 41 of the sliding member 44 of the scale indicates a chord on one of the graduations 49 and also indicates the angular setting of the valve cylinder relatively to the mouth holes 23. Consequently, all the player has to do in addition to playing the slidable harmonica l in the usual manner is to turn the handle 31 of the valve cylinder just enough in either direction to bring the marker 41 to that one of the graduations 49 which indicates the chord he Wants to play. Such turning of the handle to set the scale automatically carries the proper line of holes 36 into chord playing position and blocks ofi all of the other chord holes.

In that form of the invention shown in Fig. 4, the pinion 38, gear 39 and segment 40 heretofore described are retained, but are arranged at the right hand end of the frame instead of at the left hand end thereof. The handle 31 is also replaced by a vertically movable spring-pressed plunger 50 arranged in position to be depressed by a nger of the right hand. Said plunger is slidably mounted in a vertical guideway l extending from the frame 24 and open at that side thereof adjacent the pinion 38, whereby the rack teeth of the plunger mesh with the pinion. A spring 52 between the head 53 of the plunger and the top of the guideway 5l urges the plunger upwardly until it is stopped by the engagement of the bottom projection 54 thereof with the bottom of the guideway, in which position the marker 41 is at the Cr1 indication of the scale. Whether the handle 31 or plunger 50 is used as the operating means for the cylinder, it will be seen that only the single control element need be manipulated, which can easily be done by one or more fingers of the user.

It will also be seen that the player has before him, a visible indication of what chord he will play if he blows or draws on the branch I4, so that his attention is not diverted materially from his playing of the slidable harmonica in the usual manner. The player can without training or practice press the plunger 50 or turn the handle 31 to bring the scale marker to any other chord indication as rapidly, accurately and dependably as is required in practice and with a minimum effort. It Will further be seen that all of the three or more notes of all the various chords are controlled by the single control member and that the invention greatly simplifies chord playing in harmonicas, reduces the skill required to play such harmonicasto the point where anyone capable of playing the melody can also play the accompaniment, and is well designed for all practical purposes.

While the invention has been illustrated and described in connection with harmonicas playing the melody and corresponding chords in the key of. C, itwill be understood that-Sheetmusic; iny any of the ve common keys is playable with vequal facility. 'All thatv is: required is to` change the designations, symbols. or names. forv the/chord graduationsv 49' Without making any vchange in the valve cylinder or in the notes of the various chords or in any other part of the instrument. For example, for the. key of G, the chordV name for the chord now designated Cl becomes, G; G7 becomes Dl; D' becomes A7; A? becomes El; C7 becomes G7; F becomes C and Dm becomes Am. In other words, the chord designations go upi-n the scale the same interval as G isV from C. An indicating strip for the G key', bearing the new chord designations spaced apartv the same distances as the corresponding symbols of the. C key, would that casebe inserted into thei guideway 43 to cover the C key symbols and toV expose the new chord names.

It will also be obvious that the positions of the designations and of the marker may be exchanged or reversed. That is, the chord symbols may be placed on the sliding scale 44 instead of on the guideway, and the marker may be made on the guideway instead of on the sliding scale or indicator. In that case, the entire slide or indicator 44 is replaced With another having the correct chord names for the new key in which the music is to be played.

While certain specific forms of the invention have herein been shown and described, it will be obvious that various changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. The combination with a slidable harmonica and a xed harmonica, of a single member adjacent the fixed harmonica and having a series of lines of spaced apart air passages therethrough, means for movably supporting the member to carry a selected line of passages into communication with the fixed harmonica to play a plurality of notes of the fixed harmonica and thereby to y sound a chord, and a common mouthpiece for the harmonicas.

2. A musical instrument comprising a support member, a iirst harmonica slidably mounted on said support member and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced first ports and corresponding reeds communicating therewith, a first conduit having an outlet opening so disposed that selected ports of said first harmonica may individually be brought into registry therewith, a second harmonica mounted on said support and having a plurality of longitudinally spaced sccond ports and corresponding reeds communicating therewith, a second conduit communicating with said second harmonica, a chord member having a plurality of different groups of spaced openings which are longitudinally arranged relative to said second harmonica, each of said groups defining a chord and means for selectively bringing individual groups of said openings into registry with respective second ports whereby to effect communication between said respective second ports and said second conduit.

3. A musical instrument as claimed in claim 2, wherein said chord member comprises a rotatable hollow cylindrical valve member in the wall of which said groups of spaced openings are formed along lines parallel to the axis of said cylinder.

4. A musical instrument as claimed in claim 3, wherein a gear is mounted on said cylinder and is rotatable therewith and there is provided a plunger member having a rack portion engaging said gear.

5. A musical instrument as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is provided a common mouthpiece communicating with said rst and second conf duits.

6. A musical instrument as claimed in claim 2, wherein there are provided means coupled to and actuated by the movement of said chord member to afford a visual indication of the selected group of openings registering with said second ports.

7. A musical instrument as claimed in claim 6, wherein said indicating means includes a guide member disposed forward of and above said chord member, and an indicating scale slidable along said guide member in response to the movement of said chord member.

LOUIS A. RUBEN.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Field et al Sept. 9, 1902 Dusinberre Dec. 9, 1924 Shaver Nov. 4, 1930 Numberg Oct. 25, 1932 Meyers Sept. 11, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date FranceY Jan. 4, 1947 France Apr. 26, 1948 

